Patrol releases names in officer-involved wreck

GAINESVILLE - The Georgia State Patrol has released the names of the drivers involved in a traffic accident in Gainesville Friday afternoon, one of them a Gainesville Police Officer.

Police Corporal Joe Britte said the officer, identified by the state patrol as 24-year-old Chelsea L. Laughlin of Gainesville, was responding to a panic alarm when the wreck happened.

"Another officer diverted to the call and responded to it successfully," Britte said.

The crash happened at the intersection of E.E. Butler and Jesse Jewell parkways around 12:30 p.m.

Britte said the officer was in stable condition. Troopers said the other driver, 55-year-old Jerry Nicholson of Cleveland, went to the hospital, but not by ambulance.

According to the state patrol, both vehicles were traveling south on E.E. Butler Parkway in the right turn lane. Troopers said Nicholson, driving a Chevrolet Avalanche, turned into the left westbound lane of Jesse Jewell Parkway.

As the officer turned right, she lost control of the patrol car, traveled into the westbound lane and hit the Avalanche in the right side with the left front corner, according to the state patrol.